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Existentialism
Woody Allen (1935)
Annie Hall (10)
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I love the rain, It washes the memories off the sidewalk
of life
(Play it agqain,Sam) |
ALVY'S
VOICE-OVER
Well, where-wherever you wanna meet, I
don't care. I'll-I'll drive in. I
rented a car I'm driving ... that ...
Whatta you mean?
What-why is that such
a miracle? I'm driving myself --
EXT. OUTDOOR CAFÉ - DAY
People sit at umbrellaed tables with checkered tablecloths at a Sunset
Boulevard outdoor cafe. Street traffic goes by while they dine. There's a
mild California breeze. The restaurant is somewhat crowded as Alvy makes his
way around the tables looking about. He finally sits down at an empty table;
nearby sits a woman with a younger man. A waitress brings Alvy a menu and
waits for his order.
ALVY
(To the waitress)
I'm gonna...I'm gonna have the alfalfa
sprouts and, uh, a plate of mashed yeast.
Annie, wearing a flowered dress and wide hat, moves into view. Alvy,
noticing her, watches as she walks over to his table. He rises and they shake
hands.
ANNIE
Hi.
Alvy wipes at his nose as he stares. He smiles, the street traffic moving
behind him. Annie smiles back.
ALVY
You look very pretty.
ANNIE
Oh, no, I just lost a little weight,
that's all.
(Alvy adjusts his glasses, not
exactly knowing where to start;
a bit uneasy)
Well, you look nice.
ALVY
(Nodding his head)
You see, I-I've been thinking about it
and I think that we should get married.
ANNIE
(Adjusting her sunglasses)
Oh, Alvy, come on.
ALVY
Why? You wanna live out here all year?
It's like living in Munchkin Land.
ANNIE
(Looking around)
Well, whatta you mean? I mean, it's
perfectly fine out here. I mean, Tony's
very nice and, uh, well, I meet people
and I go to parties and-and we play tennis.
I mean, that's ... that's a very big step
for me, you know? I mean ...
(Reacting, Alvy looks down at
his hands, then up)
I'm able to enjoy people more.
ALVY
(Sadly)
So whatta you ... You're not gonna come
back to New York?
ANNIE
(Smiling)
What's so great about New York? I mean,
it's a dying city. You read "Death in
Venice."
ALVY
Hey, you didn't read "Death in Venice"
till I bought it for yuh.
ANNIE
That's right, that's right.
(Still smiling)
You only gave me books with the word
"death" in the titles.
ALVY
(Nodding his head and gesturing)
That's right, 'cause it's an important
issue.
ANNIE
Alvy, you're incapable of enjoying life,
you know that? I mean, your life is New
York City. You're just this person.
You're like this island unto yourself.
ALVY
(Toying with his car keys)
I can't enjoy anything unless I ... unless
everybody is. I-you know, if one guy is
starving someplace, that's ... you know,
I-I ... it puts a crimp in my evening.
(Looking down at his hands, sadly)
So wanna get married or what?
ANNIE
(Seriously)
No. We're friends. I wanna remain friends.
ALVY
(In disbelief)
Okay.
(Louder, to the waitress)
Check, please. Can I -can I ...
Can I ... Can I ...
ANNIE
(Interrupting)
You're mad, aren't you?
ALVY
(Shaking his head)
No.
(Then nodding)
Yes, of course I'm mad, because you
love me, I know that.
ANNIE
Alvy, I can't say that that's true at
this point in my life. I really just
can't say that that's true. I mean,
you know how wonderful you are. I
mean, you know ... you're the reason
that I got outta my room and that I
was able to sing, and-and-and, you know,
get more in touch with my feelings and
all that crap. Anyway, look, I don't
wanna- Listen, listen, listen, uh
(Laughing)
h'h, so whatta you up to anyway, huh?
ALVY
(Shrugging his shoulders)
The usual, you know. Uh, tryin't'write.
I'm workin' on a play.
(Sighing)
Jesus. So whatta yuh saying? That
you're not comin' back to New York with
me?
He nods his head in disbelief.
ANNIE
(Nodding)
No!
(Pauses)
Look, I gotta go.
She starts to rise.
ALVY
You mean that ...
(He gets up and starts following
her past diners at other tables)
I-I-I-I flew three thousand miles to
see you.
ANNIE
I'm late.
ALVY
Air miles, you know. I mean, you
know what that does to my stomach?
They move down the steps of the cafe' toward the parking lot.
ANNIE
If you must know, it's a hectic time
for Tony. The Grammys are tonight.
ALVY
The what?
ANNIE
The Grammys. He's got a lotta records
up for awards.
ALVY
You mean they give awards for that
kind o' music?
ANNIE
Oh!
ALVY
I thought just earplugs.
Annie gets into her car. Alvy moves over to his rented convertible.
ANNIE
Just forget it, Alvy, okay? Let's
just forget the conversation.
She closes the door, starts the motor.
ALVY
(Yelling after her)
Awards! They do nothing but give out
awards! I can't believe it. Greatest,
greatest fascist dictator, Adolf Hitler!
Annie drives away. Alvy gets behind the wheel, starts the motor. Putting the
car in gear, he inadvertently moves forward, hitting a bunch of trash cans with
a loud crash. Putting the car in reverse, Alvy notices a beige car that has
just turned into the parking lot. For a brief moment, the screen shows a
flashback of the bumper-car ride at the Brooklyn amusement park. Alvy's father
is on the Platform directing traffic; young Alvy is in a small car bumping
others right and left. Alvy, hack in the parking lot, backs up his convertible,
purposefully smashing the side of the beige car as another flashback of bumper-
car ride appears, this time-as, Alvy's father directs traffic-a Marine in a
small car bits the back end of a soldier's car, and Alvy, back in the parking
lot, moves his car over to another parked car and bits it full force.
Another flashback appears. people in the small cars really racing around the
track now, bumping into one another over and over again, Alvy's father
directing the flow, as the film cuts back to the parking lot, where Alvy
reverses the convertible and rams it into the front end of yet another car.
He sits behind the wheel as people rush out of various cars and as sirens
start blaring, coming closer and closer, stopping finally as a motorcycle cop
gets off beside Alvy's car and walks over to him.
ALVY
(Getting out of the car)
Officer, I know what you're gonna say.
I'm-I'm not a great driver, you know,
I-I have some problems with-with-with-
OFFICER
(Interrupting)
May I see your license, please?
ALVY
Sure.
(Searching, he finally fishes
his license out of his pocket)
just don't-don't get angry, you know
what I mean? 'Cause I-I have - I have
my-my license here. You know, it's a
rented car. And I've ...
He drops the license and it falls to the ground.
OFFICER
Don't give me your life story
(Looking at the piece of paper
on the ground)
-just pick up the license.
ALVY
Pick up the license. You have to ask
nicely 'cause I've had an extremely
rough day. You know, my girl friend-
OFFICER
(Interrupting)
Just give me the license, please.
ALVY
Since you put it that way.
(He laughs)
It's hard for me to refuse.
(He leans over, picks up the
license, then proceeds to rip
it up. He lets the pieces go;
they float to the ground)
... have a, I have a terrific problem
with authority, you know. I'm... it's
not your fault. Don't take it personal.
CUT TO:
INT. JAIL-CELLS CORRIDOR.
A guard moves down the ball to the cell where, Alvy stands with other inmates.
He unlocks the door and opens it, letting Alvy out.
ALVY
So long, fellas. Keep in touch.
He walks down the
corridor off screen.
EXT. A STREET IN FRONT OF THE COURT HOUSE - DAY
Policemen are walking up and down the courthouse steps as Alvy and Rob move
out the door of the building, down the steps to the street.
ROB
Imagine my surprise when I got your
call, Max.
ALVY
(Carrying his jacket over his
shoulder)
Yeah. I had the feeling that I got
you at a bad moment. You know, I heard
high-pitched squealing.
They walk over to Rob's convertible and get in.
ROB
(Starting the car)
Twins, Max. Sixteen-year-olds. Can you
imagine the mathematical possibilities?
ALVY
(Reacting)
You're an actor, Max. You should be
doing Shakespeare in the Park.
ROB
Oh, I did Shakespeare in the Park, Max.
I got mugged. I was playing Richard the
Second and two guys with leather jackets
stole my leotard.
He puts on an elaborate helmet and goggles.
ALVY
(Looking at Rob's helmet)
Max, are we driving through plutonium?
ROB
Keeps out the alpha rays, Max. You
don't get old.
CUT TO:
INT. REHEARSAL HALL OF A THEATER.
An actor and actress sit on hard wooden chairs in a sparse rehearsal ball.
They face each other. The actress resembles Annie; the actor, Alvy.
ACTOR
You're a thinking person. How can you
choose this lifestyle?
ACTRESS
What is so incredibly great about New
York? It's a dying city! You-you read
"Death in Venice".
ACTOR
You didn't read "Death in Venice" till
I gave it to you!
ACTRESS
Well, you only give me books with the
word "death" in the title.
The camera pulls back, showing Alvy sitting with two men at a table set up
near the actors. A mirror, running the whole width of the wall, reflects the
two actors, a script lying on the table between them. It is obvious now that
they are rehearsing a scene that Alvy wrote.
ACTOR
(In mirrored reflection)
It's an important issue.
ACTRESS
(In mirrored reflection)
Alvy, you are totally incapable of
enjoying life.
The camera moves back to actual actor and actress.
ACTRESS
You're like New York. You're an island.
ACTOR
(Rising with emotion)
Okay, if that's all that we've been
through together means to you, I guess
it's better if we just said goodbye,
once and for all! You know, it's funny,
after all the serious talks and passionate
moments that it ends here ... in a health
-food restaurant on Sunset Boulevard.
Goodbye, Sunny.
The actor begins to leave as the actress jumps up from her chair.
ACTRESS
Wait! I'm-I'm gonna ... go with you.
(The actor comes back. They embrace)
I love you.
The camera cuts to Alvy, who turns and looks straight into the camera.
ALVY
(To the audience, gesturing)
Tsch, whatta you want? It was my first
play. You know, you know how you're
always tryin' t' get things to come out
perfect in art because, uh, it's real
difficult in life. Interestingly, however,
I did run into Annie again. It was on the
Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Annie, singing "Seems Like Old Times, " overlaps Alvy's speech and
continues
over the next scene, where Alvy, standing in front of a Manhattan theater,
shakes hands with Annie and her escort. The theater marquee reads "OPHULS
PRIZE FILM: 'THE SORROW AND THE PITY'."
ALVY'S VOICE
(Over the theater scene and,
Annie's singing)
She had moved back to New York. She was
living in SoHo with some guy.
(Laughing)
And when I met her she was, of all things,
dragging him in to see "The Sorrow and the
Pity." Which I counted as a personal
triumph. Annie and I ...
(Alvy's voice continues over the
scene shot through a window of
Manhattan cafe showing Alvy and
Annie sitting at a table, laughing
and enjoying themselves)
... we had lunch sometime after that, and,
uh, just, uh, kicked around old times.
A series of flashbacks following in quick succession while Annie continues to
sing:
Annie and Alvy going up the FDR Drive, the day they met playing tennis, Annie
driving, Alvy bolding up partially eaten sandwich.
Annie and Alvy in the Hamptons house kitchen, Annie banding a live lobster to
Alvy, who drops it in the pot on the stove.
Annie and Alvy walking side by side by the shoreline.
Alvy at the tennis club, packing his bag, as he looks over his shoulder and
sees Annie, hands on her face, then clapping, as she offers him a ride home
in her car.
Annie opening the door to Alvy the night he came over to kill the spider; Annie
and, Alvy in the bookstore buying the "Death" titles; Annie and, Alvy
in
their Hamptons house, Annie reading a school catalogue, the night Alvy puts
in the red light.
The memories continue to flash on the screen: Annie and Alvy at a friend's
house, Alvy blowing the cocaine all over the sofa; Annie and Alvy playing
tennis; Annie and Alvy having a picture taken backstage at the college
performance in Annie's hometown; Alvy bolding Annie close, the night he came
over to kill the spider.
And continue: Annie carrying her luggage and clothes into Alvy's bedroom, Alvy
following, the day she first moved into his apartment. Annie holding up her
sexy birthday present from Alvy, then leaning over and kissing him; Annie and
Alvy walking down a city street, holding each other close; sitting on the park
bench, observing the people; and kissing, on the FDR Drive, the New York City
skyline behind them.
The music stops.
Returning to the present, the camera, focusing through the cafe window, shows
Annie and Alvy across street. They look about at the city traffic. Lunch is
over; it's time.
Alvy and Annie shake hands and kiss each other friendly like. Annie crosses
the street, Alvy watching her go. Then he turns, and slowly walks down the
street off screen. His voice is heard over the scene:
ALVY'S VOICE-OVER
After that it got pretty late. And we
both hadda go, but it was great seeing
Annie again, right? I realized what a
terrific person she was and-and how much
fun it was just knowing her and I-I
thought of that old joke, you know, this-
this-this guy goes to a psychiatrist and
says, "Doc, uh, my brother's crazy. He
thinks he's a chicken." And, uh, the
doctor says, "Well, why don't you turn
him in?" And the guy says, "I would, but
I need the eggs." Well, I guess that's
pretty much how how I feet about
relationships. You know, they're totally
irrational and crazy and absurd and ...
but, uh, I guess we keep goin' through it
because, uh, most of us need the eggs.
THE END
DISSOLVES INTO:
BLACK BACKGROUND;
credits popping on and of in white.
Ce
qu'on fait n'est jamais compris mais seulement loué ou blâmé.
Nietzsche, Gay Science |
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